Snowflake vs SAS Viya
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Snowflake starts at See pricing page and SAS Viya starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Cloud data warehouse
- Cortex AI functions
- Cortex Analyst
- Snowflake Intelligence agents
- Data sharing
- Data management
- Visual machine learning
- Visual Analytics reporting
- Forecasting and optimization
- Model deployment and governance
- SAS, Python and R support
| Feature | Snowflake | SAS Viya |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Cloud data platform with Cortex AI and Snowflake Intelligence | Cloud-native SAS platform for analytics, machine learning and AI |
| Category | Data & analytics | Data & analytics |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | No, 30-day trial | No, trial available |
| Made by | Snowflake | SAS Institute |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Snowflake starts at See pricing page and SAS Viya starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Standard
From $2 / credit
- Pay-as-you-go compute
- Core data warehouse features
Enterprise
From $3 / credit
- Multi-cluster warehouses
- Extended time travel
Business Critical
From $4 / credit
- Enhanced security and compliance
- Database failover
Virtual Private Snowflake
Contact sales
- Business Critical features
- Isolated Snowflake environment
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Snowflake
- AI runs where data already lives
- Strong security and governance
- Widely adopted
- Consumption costs need monitoring
- Requires data engineering skills
SAS Viya
- Mature, broad analytics toolset
- Strong model governance for regulated sectors
- Both visual and code-based workflows
- Quote-based and costly
- Heavy platform for small teams
- Steep learning curve
Which one should you choose?
Choose Snowflake if you want:
- AI runs where data already lives
- Strong security and governance
- Widely adopted
Watch out: consumption costs need monitoring.
Choose SAS Viya if you want:
- Mature, broad analytics toolset
- Strong model governance for regulated sectors
- Both visual and code-based workflows
Watch out: quote-based and costly.
Snowflake vs SAS Viya FAQ
What is the difference between Snowflake and SAS Viya?
Snowflake: Cloud data platform with Cortex AI and Snowflake Intelligence. SAS Viya: Cloud-native SAS platform for analytics, machine learning and AI. Both are data & analytics tools.
Is Snowflake or SAS Viya cheaper?
Snowflake starts at See pricing page and SAS Viya starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Snowflake and SAS Viya have free plans?
Snowflake: No, 30-day trial. SAS Viya: No, trial available.
Who makes Snowflake?
Snowflake is made by Snowflake, based in United States.
Who makes SAS Viya?
SAS Viya is made by SAS Institute, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Snowflake or SAS Viya?
Choose Snowflake if you value ai runs where data already lives and strong security and governance. Choose SAS Viya if you value mature, broad analytics toolset and strong model governance for regulated sectors.